Felt-cleaning apparatus



(No Model.)

G. DUNN.

I FELT CLEANING APPARATUS. N0. 319,567.

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UNTTE STATES PAT NT Tricia.

GEORGE DUNN, OF MIDDLETOWN, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELF, AND THE RICE, BARTON & FALES MAOHINE'AND IRON COMPANY, OF \VOROESTER,

MASSACHUSETTS.

FELT CLEANING APPARATUS.

LtPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 319,567, dated June 9, 1885.

Application filed January 152, 1855. (N model.)

T 0 all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, GEORGE DUNN, of Middletown, Butler county, Ohio, have invented a new and Improved Felt-Cleansing Appara tus, of which the following is afull, clear, and

exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and in which- Figurel is a side elevation of a portion of a paper-machine, showing the application of my improved felt-cleansing apparatus. Fig. 2 is a top or plan view of my improved felt-cleansing apparatus. Fig. 3 is a side view of the parts shown in Fig. 2; and Fig. 4 is asection 011 line m m, Fig. 2, looking in the direction of arrow y, same figure, the parts being shown upon an enlarged scale.

As my present invention has reference particularly to mechanism for cleansing the first 2 3 felt employed in paper-machines, it will be unnecessary to enter into a general description of the paper-making machine, as that may be of any of the well-known forms of construction 5; and, therefore, I shall confine my descrip- 2 5 tion to that portion of the apparatus to which my present improvement is applied.

A denotes the first felt, which conveys the sheet ofpulp from the wire apron along through the press-rolls B and to the next felt and roll.

(3 represents a water and vacuum box,forming a part of my invention, which is applied to that side of the felt that receives the dirt from the paper in removing water from the same. Said box 0 is shown in Fig. 1 in one 3 5 of the positions on the machine where it may be applied to the felt; but its position on the machine may be varied, it only being necessary that it should be applied to the side of the felt which comes next to the pulp in re- 0 moving the water therefrom.

D denotes the water-space in the box, which space is designed to be kept full of water, it being supplied with fresh water through holes c in the bottom of pipe E, which receives the 5 supply of water through the water-pipe F.

G is the vacuum-space, from which the air is exhausted through pipe (1 by the suction of a steam-jet passing through pipe H and into pipe I, whence it passes by the end of waterpipe F, thus forcing the water into pipe E and through the holes 6 into the water-space D, at the same time warming the water sufficiently for the purpose for which it is to be used.

J represents an outlet-pipe through which 5 to draw off the dirty water which accumulates in the vacuum-space G, as will be hereinafter more fully set forth. Said outlet-pipe is provided with a globe-valve, K, to regulate the flow of water through said pipe as desired.

The drawings represent the device as ap plied to a left-hand machine; but as it is designed to make said device so that it may be applied to either right or left hand machines, holes are provided at each end of the water- 6 space D for the admission of the pipe E, and screw-plug L is provided, which can be applied to whichever of the two holes is not used for pipe E, and to make the change it is only necessary to uncouple the pipes E and g from box 0, turn the latter end for end, remove screw-plug L, connect pipe E with the hole from which the screw-plug has been removed, and again make the connection of pipe 9 with the vacuum-space G. The object of making 7 this change will be fully set forth in the description of the operation of the device hereinafter given.

WVater space I) and vacuum space G are formed of a length j ust sufficient to operate upon the working part of the felt, and this working part of the felt being somewhat less than the full width of the machine the sides of box 0 extend beyond the end of the vacuum and water spaces a distance sufficient to rest upon the frame of the machine, and the bottom of the box extends beyond the end of said spaces a sufficient distance to provide metal through which to insert screws for clamping the box to its support. 93

As it is intended to make boxG of castiron, athin plate, M, of brass or other metal not liable to rust, is applied to that portion of the top of said box which comes in contact with the damp or wet portion of the felt, the object 9 5 being to prevent such portion of the felt com ing in contact with the iron and thus being stained with rust, and to prevent danger of cutting the felt when there is a heavy draft on the same the upper corners of the brass plate I00 are rounded off.

The hole at the end of the water-space D Pipe E rests upon a pillow, P, in the bot-.

tom of the water-space in such a manner as to raise the pipe from the bottom and permit the water and steam to enter said compartment through holes (2 without obstruction.

The operation of my improved felt-cleaning apparatus is as follows: The apparatus is applied to the paper-making machine in such a manner that the felt in performing its function passes over the box 0 in close contact with the top thereof in the direction indicated by arrow 2, so that it first passes over the water-space D, and thence over the vacuum-space G. VVater-space D being kept full of water by the supply from water-pipe F, forced in and heated by the steam-jet from pipe H, the felt in passing over such space, as stated, hecomes Wet with the warm water, and passes onward over the vacuum-space G, into which the water taken up by the felt, together with all foreign matter upon the felt, is immedi-' ately withdrawn by the suction caused by the exhaustion of the air from said vacuum-space by the action of the steam-jet hereinbefore referred to. The greater portion of the dirty water and sediment so drawn into the vacuumspace is removed therefrom by being sucked out through pipe 9 and forced along through pipe I to outlet-pipe J, while the small portion that remains in the bottom of the vacuum-space may be readily cleaned outthrongh hole 0.

As the device must be applied to a machine so that the felt will pass over the waterspace first, and as it is desirable to have the Valve controlling the steam-jet on the front of the machine, it is apparent that as the felt moves from left to right on a left-hand machine and from right to left on a right-hand machine, in order to apply the same device to either a right-hand or a left-hand machine the above-described means must be provided for making the connection of pipe E with either end of water-space D. o

I have described my invention as being ap plied to a Fourdrinier paper-making machine; but it will be understood by those skilled in the art that it is equally applicable to a cylinder-machine.

Having described my improvement in feltcleansing apparatus, what I claim as new and of my invention, and desire to secure by Let ters Patent, is-

1. The method of continuous felt washing or cleansing on paper-making machines while the machine is in operation by passing the outside of the felt, after it has delivered the pulp, over and incontact with warm water in a suitable tank or box gaged to the widest 6 sheet of paper made on the machine, so as to leave the edges of the felt dry, and thence over a vacuum-box, substantiallyin the manner and for the purposes set forth.

2. The combination of the steam-pipe H with the vacuum-box G and hot-water tank D, provided with perforated pipe E, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. In a paper-making machine, the combination, with the outside of the felt or felts, of 75 a hot-water receptacle or tank, D, and perforated water and steam pipe E, substantially as and for the purpose set fort 4. The combination, with the outside of the felt or felts of a paper-making machine, of a 80 vacuum-chamber, G, steam-pipe H, exhaustpipe 9, and outlet J, substantially as and for the purpose set fort-h.

GEORGE DUNN.

Witnesses:

JOHN H; ERT, GEo. S. Low, 

